Caring for your residents and ensuring a happy, healthy quality of life is of utmost importance in your retirement community. But, with many residents and apartments comes the possibility of attracting mice and rats. Rodents make your residents and their visitors uncomfortable and can create unsanitary conditions and pose health risks as well as cripple your facility’s good reputation.
An integrated pest management plan can save your facility time and money, which lets you focus on what really matters: your residents’ health and safety.
Protect Retirement Community Residents From Mice and Rat Infestation
Your residents rely on you to keep them safe and healthy. However, a rodent infestation creates an unsanitary and unsavory environment and heightens the risk of disease and infection.
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is the most common and widespread tick-borne disease in the U.S. and is most commonly carried by deer mice. Lyme disease may cause skin lesions, fever, joint pain, and headaches.
Salmonella
One of the most common forms of food poisoning, salmonella, causes intestinal disorders and is carried by the feces of rats and mice.
Hantavirus
Perhaps one of the most commonly transmitted viruses, hantavirus produces flu-like symptoms, kidney failure, and severe respiratory problems.
Plague
Yes, we’re aware it’s 2016 – but the plague is still around. Caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, plague can be passed to humans from fleas on rodents or by handling an infected animal.
Any of the above viruses and diseases could cause extreme complications for your patients, especially those who already have a compromised immune system. Not to worry – you can prevent all of this and avoid exterminator bills by creating your own pest management plan.
What is Integrated Pest Management?
Integrated pest management (or IPM) is meant to prevent pests and infestation with environmentally-sound alternatives, and only uses pesticides as a last resort. The use of repellents and preventative measures around the property would be ideal in this case, and traps could be used for any rodents that would make their way indoors.
Precautionary steps could include:
- Inspecting the property and individual apartments for any areas where rodents could enter; plugging holes with steel wool
- Raking up large piles of leaves where rodents could be hiding
- Keeping debris and vegetation away from the edges of buildings
- Sealing doors and windows
- Setting traps at the first signs of even a single mouse – and using the proper bait
- Installing pest repellent devices to prevent rodents from taking up residence in your facility
- Keeping your facility clean, including individual residents’ rooms
- Creating a reporting system so that residents and employees can report on signs of rodent intrusion
Victor® Rodent Control Solutions for Retirement Communities
Victor® offers a large selection of pest control options for commercial environments, meaning you can save money by purchasing traditional snap traps, ultrasonic repellents, electronic traps, and live traps.
Here’s to a rodent-free facility! If you have further suggestions, please tell us about it in the comments below, or share with us next time you visit Victor® on Facebook. Don’t forget to sign up for our eNewsletter for great resources and tips, as well as exclusive updates on our products!
